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  Kalinga Lancers launch official jersy, mascot
22 Jan 2014 BHUBANESWAR
 

Hitherto operating from the State Secretariat or corporate board rooms, the owners and other stakeholders of Kalinga Lancers, the Odisha-based franchisee in Hockey India League (HIL), came to fore for the first time to officially launch the mascot and unveil the team jerseys in a glittering function here at a city hotel today.
Attired in bright orange jerseys, the 24 players of Kalinga Lancers, including 10 foreigners, walked the ramp in the company of chief coach Terry Walsh, assistant coaches A K Bansal, Lajrus Barla and mascot `Bagha`, a young white tiger, while the anthem of the team reverberated in the background,
Industries Minister Niranjan Pujari graced the function as chief guest. Visal Dev and A N Sahay, the CMDs of franchise owners Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corportation (IDCO) and Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) respectively, along with State Sports Department Secretary Saswat Mishra and NALCO CMD Ansuman Das were present on the occasion.
 

Later talking to mediapersons, the franchise owners expressed hope that Kalinga Lancers, the sixth and new team in the HIL, would be able to reach the semifinals. ``Ours is a well-balanced team with right mixture of youth and experience and we are confident of playing vibrant hockey,`` said Aussie Olympian Walsh, who is also the head coach of Indian men`s hockey team.
``Each team will be playing 10 matches each in the second edition of the HIL, starting on January 25. But Kalinga Lancers are eyeing to playing more than the stipulated 10 matches,`` he added.
Asked as who would lead the team, Walsh said it would be known in a couple of days. But to everyone`s surprise, the franchise owners, after a short while, named two captains in former India skipper Prabodh Tirkey and Australia defender/mid-fielder Kiel Brown.
Speaking on the reason for having multiple captains, Sports Secretary Mishra said: ``This was done to avoid language barrier. Prabodh is ideal leader to interact with the Indian players. But Brown can handle the overseas players better.``
The chief coach took the opportunity to reject a rumour that a division had occurred among Indian and foreign players. ``This is absurd. The team is jelling well and preparing as cohesive unit,`` he claimed.
Visal Dev revealed that joint-owners IDCO and MCL have invested Rs 6 crore each to form Odisha Sport Development and Promotion Company (OSDPC), a not-for-profit company under Section-25 to manage Kalinga Lancers. He also disclosed that OSDPC has so far raised Rs 6 crore as sponsorship from Odisha Mining Corporation, Indian Oil Corporation, Nalco, Odisha Tourism, Paradeep Port Trust, Gopalpur Ports Limited and KIMS.
According to the Sports Secretary the new astro-turf hockey complex here inside Kalinga Stadium is now all set to stage home team Kalinga Lancers` opening match against Jaypee Punjab Warriors on January 28.
------------------------------------------------------------- PHOTOS -------------------------------------------------------------
TOP: Kalinga Lancers head coach Terry Walsh, co-captains Prabodh Tirkey and Kiel Brown with the team mascos in Bhubaneswar on January 22, 2014.

RIGHT: Industries Minister Niranjan Pujari unveils the Kalinga Lancers jersy in the presence of IDCO MD Visal Dev (Left) and MCL CMD A N Sahay in Bhubaneswar on January 22, 2014.
 
   
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